Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-05-24
THE SOUTHERN PRESBYTERY.
Reports Of the Committee 0n Organic
Umt0n-Thc Question Laid Over.

In the Southern Presbyterian Assembly at Sc.
Louis yesterday the committee on organic union.
cooperative union, or other relations with the
Presbyterian Church OF the United states, Dr.
Smoot, OF Texas, chairmain presented three
reports. The committee is composed OF twenty
six members, sixteen OF whom made majority
report, nine minority report, and one what he
called minimum minority report. The majority
report recommends the appointment OF n CON-
mttee, to be composed OF five ministers. five ruling
elders, and the moderator OF the assembly to con.
fer with a similar committee from the other
assembly and consider the whole subject, the com.
mittee to report At the next general assembly, In
May next. This committee is instructed TO take
and maintain the following position: The mere
acceptance OF the committee on standards OF our
church confession OF faith, longer and shorter
catechfsms does not I'm our minds form SUFFICIENT
basis OF union but the acceptance OF that peculiar
Interpretation OF our standards which ai1irmS and
emphasizes the purely scriptural nature OF Christs
Kingdom and f0rbids her legtsiating on political
or civil matters is the only true basis OF union;
and further, We insist that the colored brethren
within our bounds shall be organized into separate
The minority report says: ave are or the
opinion that the difficulties in the way OF organic
or cooperative union are so numerous and OF Sc
serious nature that they cannot be removed
They arise mainly out or the tact that the two
churches are not agreed In matters OF either prin
ciple or policy. The plea that the two have the
same confession OF faith may be fully met by the
simple statement that all evangelical denomina-
lions have the same Protestant Bible: but the DIFF
ference In the one case as ia the other arises out
OF the Interpretation OF the teaching OF two books
SO the separate existence OF the southern Church
is as much demanded, because OF the widely diff.
ferent Interpretation OF the language OF that
reSIon OF faith in matters both OF doctrine and
government, as the separate existence OF otnel
denominations OF Christians is demanded, because
they are not sufficiently agreed In their essential
tenets to constitute one organic body. Nc
suggestion has been made, or, in the opinion
OF those signing this paper, can be made Tor the
removal OF this most serious obstacle, which meets
US at the very opening or this question. To unite
or attempt to unite, the two churches On ans
upon any general statement such as the reception
OF the standards pure and simple would serve
only 10 bring together those who could not act IN
harmony, and would perpetuate strife and alien
atfons. These conclusions have been reached by
US after a full and careful examination OF The
whole question, In the light OF all the papers sub
mitted for our consideration. The discussion OF
the question for some time past, both North an6
South, has made IL equally manifest that the
further agitation OF this question would hinder the
progress, weaken the efficiency, and endanger the
unity OF our own church.
The matter was laid over until to-day, when II
Will be considered as the special order OF the day
PROPOSED UNION OF ALL THE PROTESTANT CHURCHES
A communication was received from the Ameri
can House OF Bishops OF the Episcopal Church
with reference to union or all Protestant churches
and expressing the hope that the unhappy breach
now existing between the various Christian
churches could be healed. The declarations OF
1853 and 1850 advocating Christian union against
the usurpation OF the Bishop or Rome were re.
ferred to. The communication enumerated the
grounds OF common belief and practice among
the committee on foreign correspondence TO for.
mulate reply.